Stevie Wonder Apologizes For Anti-Gay Comments Involving Frank Ocean

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The takeaway from a recent career-spanning interview with Stevie Wonder in The Guardian has been anti-gay comments he made in regards to R&B newcomer Frank Ocean, whose music has drawn a number of comparisons to Wonder’s. Now Wonder, who also said he likes Ocean, has clarified and apologized for those comments.

When asked by The Guardian if he was surprised that there was uproar over Ocean’s coming-out, Wonder repliedby questioning Ocean’s bisexuality, which he revealed in a post on his blog earlier this summer.

“I think honestly, some people who think they’re gay, they’re confused,” Wonder said. “People can misconstrue closeness for love. People can feel connected, they bond. I’m not saying all [gay people are confused]. Some people have a desire to be with the same sex. But that’s them.”

In a new statement issued over the weekend, Wonder rebutted his statements, praising his main source of artistic inspiration – love.

Wonder’s statement reads as follows: “I’m sorry that my words about anyone feeling confused about their love were misunderstood. No one has been a greater advocate for the power of love in this world than I; both in my life and in my music. Clearly, love is love, between a man and a woman, a woman and a man, a woman and a woman and a man and a man. What I’m not confused about is the world needing much more love, no hate, no prejudice, no bigotry and more unity, peace and understanding. Period.”

Interestingly enough, much of Wonder’s Guardian interview focused on his own minority status. “I never thought of being blind and black as a disadvantage,” he said.